Santa, Can You Hear Me?: A Kim Possible Christmas
by Jurnee Jakes
Summary: Kim has only one wish this Christmas, and it's to spend it with her true love. Unfortunately, her boyfriend is away for the holidays. But fate has a sense of humor, and sometimes wishes come true in ways we never suspect.


Kim Possible was walking toward her home in Middleton, her best friend since Pre-K; Ron Stoppable, was beside her and snapping his fingers to a Britina Christmas Carol. The cold winter air was turning the end of her nose and her cheeks red. Although the weather was unusually warm this year, Kim still felt chilled inside. Josh was gone for the holidays and despite knowing that he'd be back in a week, it still felt like he had already been gone for forever. Bonnie Rockwaller and Brick Flagg passed by, each holding onto a candy cane and smiling dreamily. Or, at least Bonnie was. Brick tended to have that expression the majority of the time, anyway. There were couples walking beneath the street lights everywhere Kim and Ron went, and even Justine Flanner rolled by in a horse drawn carriage with a student that Kim didn't recognize.

Kim sighed, apparently loud enough for Ron to notice. "What's wrong, KP?" he asked, pulling off his old style headphones that were embarrassingly too big. "It's Christmas! What could get you down now?!" he asked with a grin, waving his arms in the air to emphasis his point.

Kim frowned. "I know. I guess I just... I miss Josh." she said. They had had such a wonderful dance before the holidays and Kim had wanted to have him over to share in the Possible Family Christmas. Instead, his parents had gone down to Arizona for the holiday to visit family. "I mean, I know it sounds selfish, but I was hoping to share Christmas with him."

Now it was Ron's turn for a frown. "Really?" he asked. "I mean, are you sure your family would have enough food for everyone? With Rufus and I, I mean?"

Kim looked at him as though it was the first she had noticed him standing there. "Hmm? Oh, yeah... right. I've no doubt we'd come up with something." she smiled. She looked around at their surroundings, noticing the single snow man and a string of lights around Ron's house. "Not much for lights this year?"

Ron shook his head. "Nah. They never show up being this close to your place, anyway." he smiled. He looked over at Kim's house that sat next door to his and smiled. Kim's parents and brothers were busy placing all of their decorations in the yard and covering the house with phosphorus lights. Kim had even called in a favor this year for the super bright, energy efficient neon lights that Senor Senior Junior had stolen last year. "I wonder if Drakken will try anything this year."

Kim shrugged, sniffling with her cold nose. "How's your Hanukkah going?" she smiled.

Ron grinned and rubbed his hands together. "Last night tonight. Full of deep fried goodies and jelly filled donuts!" he cried, pumping his arms in excitement. "Care to join in the Jewish tradition?"

Kim smiled at the offer, but lifted her hands. "Sorry, Ron. I've got a busy night full of gift wrapping and hanging with the fam. Nana and Uncle Slim are coming tonight, and I know Nana for sure is going to want to know all about Josh."

"Oh, right... Josh." Ron smiled. "If you need a miracle, you could always write Santa Claus a letter."

Kim stared at Ron, not entirely sure if he was serious or not. "Uh, right... Santa."

"Well, Rufus and I'll light a candle for ya, KP. Your place on Christmas Eve?" he asked.

Kim nodded. "You know it. Oh, and bring your sunglasses this time, okay? We don't need you seeing spots again all night."

* * *

Kim sat in her room, looking at the blank screen of her computer. She heard Uncle Slim and Joss come in through the front door of the house, and knew it would take them both a few minutes to get through her parents and the tweebs. She felt torn. She wanted to spend time with family, even the Tweebs! It was Christmas and with her usual busy schedule, she spent very little time with each of them anyway. And to not find the joy in spending time with her even lesser visited family, like Joss, Uncle Slim, and Nana, was even worse. But she still couldn't bring herself to not feel an ache in her heart that Josh wasn't here. Gifts for each of them were stacked around her desk, almost enough to block her from her computer. She couldn't help but feel silly, staring at the computer before her, but supposed there could be some kind of psychological release at writing an imaginary letter to an imaginary person.

_"I know exactly what I want this year. Santa, can you hear me? I want someone to love me, someone to hold. He'll be all my own in a big red bow. Santa, can you hear me? I have been so good this year and all I want is one thing: Tell me my true love is here. He's all I want! Just for me, underneath my Christmas tree. I'll be waiting here. Santa that's my only wish this year."_

Kim laughed to herself at the short letter and crossed her arms, reading it over. "Kim! Joss and Uncle Slim are here!" her mother called from down the stairs. Kim was suddenly shocked out of her stupor and snatched up the gifts that had been sitting on her desk, dropping one onto her keyboard. She hefted it up in her arms and began carrying them down to the living room where the huge Christmas Tree stood, fully decorated. She never even noticed that the gift that had rolled across her keyboard had inadvertently pressed the SEND button on her email.

* * *

Christmas Eve came quickly, and Kim laid awake in her bed, her Nana knitted quilt tucked up around her shoulders. She hadn't had this much difficulty getting to sleep on Christmas Eve in many years, and yet she couldn't pull her mind away from the letter she had discovered was sent to who knows where? The one addressed to Santa. All she would need when she returned to school is to find that Bonnie or the Tweebs had somehow gotten a hold of it and forwarded it to everyone in the world.

She tossed and she turned, her eyelids incredibly heavy after the day's activities. Kim had even gone to bed early, in hopes of feeling fresh for Christmas Day itself, but instead, it was now four o'clock in the morning and she hadn't slept a wink. Finally, with a growl, Kim climbed out of her bed. Her Nana had often prescribed a warm glass of milk to Kim's mother when she had difficulty sleeping, and Kim hoped the remedy would help her as well. She slid her slippers on, and with absolute stealth, moved down the stairwell to the main floor and into the kitchen.

Kim paused for a moment as her ear caught the sound of something being crunched, chewed, then gulped down in the living room. She stopped, and took cover behind the doorway of the kitchen, looking back the way she had come. A shadow lingered on the couch and something scurried away from the goodie table toward the tree. "Great..." Kim whispered, rolling without a sound into the living room and ending in a Kung Fu stance. "Christmas morning and we've got..." she said, looking down at the form that was laying on the couch, snoring. "Ron?"

"Mmm? Huh? Santa?" Ron mumbled, rubbing his eyes. Ron was curled up on the cushion, his head dressed in a large red bow that the Tweebs had undoubtedly placed upon him after he had passed out. Rufus was nuzzled in the branches of the Christmas Tree, smacking his lips and snoring loudly. An empty goodie plate and glass sat on the table next to the tree, obviously Rufus' midnight snack.

Kim shrank back into the shadows, the Christmas Tree lights blinking steadily and blurring her form. She couldn't help but smile to herself at the sight before her, and wondered why on Earth Ron was here sleeping on her family's couch. Before Ron could even try to get up from his place, Kim performed a hand spring onto the staircase and up into her room. Before long, she could hear Ron snoring again. She shook her head, the letter and Josh far from her mind once again. She slid back under her quilt, and quickly allowed sleep to overtake her.

* * *

"Merry Christmas, Kimmie-Cub!" Kim's father called. The entire family was crowded into the living room in front of the Christmas tree, with Jim and Tim poised to strike the pile of wrapped gifts that waited under the tree. Kim had apparently woken up late, as the Tweebs looked up at her with impatient annoyance. Joss and Ron were on the couch, talking about Ron's big Wannaweep adventure, Slim and his brother were in the kitchen, contemplating the eggnog machine, and Nana and Kim's mother were on overwatch, making certain that the Tweebs didn't come within five feet of the tree.

"Morning!" Kim responded, gesturing with a wave to everyone.

Ron turned to her with excitement the most she entered the room. "Kim! You wouldn't believe it! I saw Santa Clause last night!"

"Santa Clause?" Kim asked skeptically.

"Yeah!" Ron confirmed. "Well, it might have been Mrs. Clause, as the figure was pretty hot..." he said with a whisper. Kim blushed a moment, then nodded in amused understanding, knowing full well who the bleary eyed boy probably saw. "But they had a big red Santa cap!"

"And he ate all the milk and cookies!" Jim and Tim exclaimed. Kim eyed Rufus suspiciously, who turned away with an innocent whistle.

"So did you sleep here all night, Ron?" Kim asked, tucking her cold bare toes underneath her as she sat opposite Joss on the couch.

Ron laughed nervously. "Uh, heh heh... yeah. The, uh, Hanukiah lit up our kitchen as I lit the last candle. Mom and Dad are staying with relatives."

"And you came here?" Kim asked curiously.

"One word, Kim. Cousin Sean." Ron said, holding up two fingers.

"Who's..." Kim began, but before she could demand an explanation, the sound of Nana and her mother "aw'ing" caught her attention. Suddenly, she looked up to see a small bit of mistletoe that had been hanging above the couch. "Well, Ron... it looks like you're the only eligible bachelor here." she said with a wink, placing a peck on her friend's cheek as Joss did the same to his other one.

"That's starting to become a tradition." Kim's mother said.

Kim blushed slightly, taking the first gift that the Tweebs had begun handing out to everyone. "Maybe Santa heard me after all..."

* * *

**Disclaimer: Santa, Can You Hear Me? is a song by Britney Spears. Sue me. =D**


End file.
